


The Process of Mending

by Skelesin (DeadGodBless)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Broken Bones, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2015-10-16
Packaged: 2018-04-26 16:34:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5011882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeadGodBless/pseuds/Skelesin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You can’t believe what you’re seeing. You knew that in the year since monsters made their way to the surface there had been some struggles. Humans, if anything, are unspeakably stubborn. Once they’ve decided to hate something or someone, they throw themselves headlong into it. Even still, what you’re witnessing seems so baselessly cruel.</p><p>Sans/Reader, reader is gender neutral.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Process of Mending

**Author's Note:**

> A big special thank you to Dinkywitch and Alyssofspades who have both been super helpful in the process of this fic! Without your encouragement I probably wouldn't have finished it. Also thank you Alyssofspades for the fic title it's wonderful <3

You can’t believe what you’re seeing. You knew that in the year since monsters made their way to the surface there had been some struggles. Humans, if anything, are unspeakably stubborn. Once they’ve decided to hate something or someone, they throw themselves headlong into it. Even still, what you’re witnessing seems so baselessly cruel.

 

“So tell me something skeleton, if we snapped all of your bones, would you feel it?” You watch the group of clearly wasted students surround the poor creature. He’s backed himself against a wall, a nervous smile plastered on his face. His hands are held up in a pacifying gesture, the bones hidden under a pair of suede gloves.

 

“W-well yes, I suppose I would.” He replies. If anything his smile grows under the tension of the moment. “Thankfully there would be no need for such violence. Since we’re all so friendly.”

 

A girl in the group laughs too hard, pressing a hand on his chest. “I can’t imagine you getting too friendly. You don’t even have a dick.”

 

He’s obviously confused and he seems to be growing increasingly alarmed. The gravity of the situation is just starting to sink in. You’ve heard that monsters can use magic, but so far they’ve been pretty careful not to use it around humans. He looks like he wants to defend himself more than anything, but he also has the look of someone who is resigned to take a beating. So he won’t protect himself?

 

One of the boys stumbles forward. You can practically smell the booze coming off of him from across the street. He jabs a finger at the skeleton’s sternum. “You fuckin’ monsters come up here and terrorize our chicks and our kids and you expect us to just…” he loses his thought for a moment, catches it with renewed anger. “To just fucking make nice with you? Huh?”

 

This is escalating quickly. You know you should do something, but you’re not sure what. You could call the police, but you can’t imagine they’d be much help. Not to a monster. There are six of the kids crowding around him. You recognize a few of them vaguely. Locals then.

 

“I don’t want-“ The skeleton tries, but the group has apparently had enough. It’s all a blur, senseless violence erupting all at once. You hear a few sickening cracks and know you have to do something and you have to do it now. You try to think quickly. There’s no one else here to help you save him. You’re all on your own.

 

…but what if they thought someone else was coming?

 

You dash across the street, waving your arms and yelling. “Quick get out of here! There’s more of em coming go go go!”

 

They look at you, dumbfounded in their drunken stupor. “What are you talking about?”

 

“One of them looked like a fucking raptor, man! Get out of here!” You’re close enough that you can push on his arm, trying to coax him to move and making a show of looking behind you to see if this imaginary group of monsters is getting closer. This seems to spook the girl and she tugs a guy away by the wrist, eyes wide with fright. The rest sort of follow after at a quick pace, stumbling here and there on loose stone.

 

You look down at the asphalt, taking in the injured creature sprawled there. It looks bad, you think. There’s no blood, but then that’s not surprising. He’s a skeleton after all. You crouch beside him, trying to be gentle as you look him over. You try to ease his shoulder and turn him over, moving slowly. He groans, eye sockets swimming with tears. Your brain barely registers how strange that is before moving on to more pressing matters. “Shhhh it’s okay. It’s gonna be okay. They’re gone now.” You tell him quietly, stroking his skull lightly. The bone is smooth and cool under your hand.

 

“Please…“ he whimpers, sounding so pitiful that it breaks your heart.

 

You do your best to soothe him, wiping away the tears flowing from his eye sockets. “I’m not going to hurt you, sweetie,” You try to speak softly so as not to scare him any further. “I want to help. But I’m going to have to move you.”

 

His lower jaw trembles. “It hurts.” He whines.

 

You could almost cry. Poor thing. How could anyone want to hurt someone so sweet? “I’m so sorry,” You tell him. “I know it must be awful, but I can’t help if I can’t see what all is wrong. Will you trust me?”

 

He nods, eyes seeming to close, despite their lack of lids. You stroke his skull a moment longer before taking a look. A couple of ribs are definitely broken, jagged pieces laying nearby on the ground. You gather them up, tucking them into your pockets, and move on. His right femur has a crack running through it, but at least it hasn’t snapped. You’re pretty sure several of his bones have been bruised, but at least they didn’t all break. He’s sturdy at least.

 

“Sweetheart, can you tell me your name?” You ask him gently.

 

His eyes open again and his stare feels like it pierces through your body. Guilt washes over you. If you had acted faster, this wouldn’t have happened. “P-Papyrus.”

 

“That’s a great name, Papyrus. I like that.” You smile and introduce yourself, trying to keep him calm. “Listen, Papyrus, your leg is hurt pretty bad. I don’t think you’re gonna be able to walk on it.”

 

He lets out another whimper. “I don’t want to stay here.”

 

“No, I won’t leave you here,” You promise. You try to think of a solution. You could call for an ambulance, but there’s a chance they’ll refuse to take him. This town doesn’t have many monster residents, and there’s a pretty clear reason for it.  You’re running short on options. “I can take you to my place, but I’m gonna have to move you again.”

 

He closes his eyes and nods, bones seeming to tense with stress. “You have a car?”

 

“I walked here,” You tell him. “I’m a couple blocks away. I’m gonna have to carry you.” He can’t be that heavy, you tell yourself. Bones won’t weigh that much. You’ll carry him home and figure things out from there.

 

“It’s going to hurt.” He whines quietly. You feel awful. You wish you’d thought of something sooner. Wishing doesn’t fix the problem though.

 

“Yeah,” You murmur. “But you’re really strong, right Papyrus? I can tell. You can be strong for me, right?”

 

His eyes set on you again and damn. You never thought that a gaze could be so intense without an actual eyeball. He knows what you’re doing. He can see right through your bravado. But he does seem to appreciate it. “Yeah. I can do that.”

 

“Okay good,” You tell him. “Your arms don’t seem to be in too bad of shape, so I’m gonna crouch in front of you and I want you to grab onto me as tight as you can. I’m gonna try to get my arms under you and stand okay?” He nods and you set the plan into motion.

 

You’re glad to find you were right about his weight. He can’t be more than 30 pounds. The problem is that he’s awkward to hold. Humans are solid and you don’t have to worry about your hands slipping into holes in their body. It takes you a bit to get a good grip on him without having to worry about your hand sliding through his ribs. The walk home is slow work. You try to avoid jostling him as much as you can. His face is scrunched up in an expression of pain, but he does his best to grit his teeth and bear it.

 

Getting out your keys is a whole other ordeal. You don’t want to let go of him and have to try and pick him back up. Instead you end up trying to support his weight differently, shifting your hip and holding him up with your elbow as you awkwardly grab the keyring in your pocket. You fumble with the key in the lock. His body blocks your view and it’s hard to line things up blind like this. Finally the key sinks in, then turns, and you’re able to open up the door.

 

Your home is dark. You try to get the switch with your left elbow and end up knocking his leg into a table. He hisses. “Sorry! I’m sorry!” Forget the lights. You press on slowly, making your way towards your bedroom. Light leaks in from the parted curtains, leaving the bed illuminated. You’re glad you forgot to close it this morning.

 

You lay him down gently and he stares up at you, looking miserable. You flick on the light and make your way to the bathroom, pulling out the first aid kit. Here in the light you can see dirt all over his bones where they peak out of his “Cool Dude” crop top and shorts. You set the first aid kit on the end of the bed and make your way back to the bathroom to wet a washcloth with warm water.  He watches your every movement as you come back in, sitting beside him on the bed. “Hey there sweetie,” you smile at him, hoping to reassure him a bit. “I’m gonna clean you up and try to bandage you okay? Let me know if I hurt you.”

 

You clean him gingerly, unable to keep from apologizing each time he winces. You have to stop and clean off the washcloth a couple of times before you can finish. You notice the way he softly sighs when you go over areas where the bones haven’t been damaged. You’re glad it’s not all painful for him.  Once he’s clean you start digging through the first aid kit. You’re not really sure how to patch him up. It’s obvious a simple band-aid isn’t going to be enough. You find some medical tape and pull it out. You’re going to need to set the breaks.

 

“What’s that?” He asks you quietly. He seems so nervous, almost like a child.

 

You rest your hand on his knee almost automatically, rubbing your thumb over his patella lightly. “It’s tape. I’m gonna try to set your bones in place so they’ll heal.”

 

He relaxes almost immediately, eyes seeming to flutter. “You’re such a nice human.”

 

You smile. He’s so innocent, so pure. “Well you’re a very nice skeleton, Papyrus. It’s easy being nice to you.”

 

He smiles –a real, true smile- for the first time since you’ve met him. “Human, I, the Great Papyrus, have decided that I will be your friend.”

 

You grin. This sweet, strange creature is clearly too pure for this world. “I’m truly honored.”  He’s clearly pleased with himself now, beaming from ear to ear.

 

You scour the house for objects for your makeshift splints. When you finally have all the materials you need you put yourself to the task of setting his bones. It’s slow work because you’re trying so hard to be careful. You’re exhausted by the time you finish. You can’t even imagine how he feels. “There we go, babe. This is the best I can do.”

 

“Babe?” Papyrus’ brow seems to furrow, which is crazy because he’s a skeleton. Then his face shifts, some realization striking him. “Oh human. Oh no. Oh no no no. I’m so sorry.”

 

“You’re sorry?” You’re confused. “What for?”

 

He shakes his head sadly. “Just like the heroine always falls for the charming prince, you have fallen madly in love with me. Oh human, I am so sorry! I cannot return your affections! I see you only as a friend.”

 

“I-I see,” You hide your face behind your hands. You’re trying so hard not to laugh. He’s so adorably absurd. You can’t bring yourself to hurt his pride.  “I understand. I’ll treasure our friendship.”

 

“I’ll just pretend I never knew,” Papyrus assures you. He hesitates a moment before quietly saying “And you can call me babe, if you really want.”

 

Someday, you might just have to explain to him about pet names and speech habits, but today is not that day. You’re exhausted. All you really want is to collapse on the couch and pass out. You head for the door, flicking off the lights. “Thanks, Pap. You’re a real pal.”

* * *

 

 

You wake up and fumble for your phone. Through your sleepy haze you realize you need to call in to work.  There’s no way you can leave Papyrus alone like this. You dial the number and peek in on him as you speak to your manager, explaining that you’re just too sick to come in. He watches you, then pats his pockets. Beads of sweat form on his skull and really, how is that even possible?  “You alright, buddy?” You ask as you disconnect the call.

 

“I can’t find my cell phone…” He’s like a deer in headlights.

 

You try and think. Do you remember seeing a cell phone with him when you helped him out of the streets? The whole thing is such a blur you’re really not sure. “Maybe we dropped it when I bumped you on the table?” You head out to check, looking through the halls. No luck.

 

He doesn’t say anything further about it after you give him a shake of your head. You feel like you should go out and look for it, but you really don’t want to leave him alone.  He taps his gloved hand on the bed. Poor thing must be bored. Time to fix that.

 

You hand him a controller and teach him how to play Soul Calibur. He’s surprisingly good at it, after you explain to him how combos work. He seems to enjoy himself, playing online against strangers and letting out a triumphant “NYEH HEH HEH!” with every victory. You can’t help chuckling as he enjoys himself.

 

You watch him for a few hours until you get hungry. “I’m gonna make some lunch. You want anything?”

 

He peeks up at you, almost bashfully. “Spaghetti.”

 

“Yeah, okay. I can do that.” He grins and returns to his game as you head out to cook.

 

This is weird. You had definitely never planned on having a skeleton living in your house, however temporary this may be. Still, Papyrus is sweet and you do enjoy his company.  You wonder where he came from, anyways. Does he have someone waiting for him at home? Bones take such a long time to heal. Surely they’ll be worried if he doesn’t come back.

 

When you return with a bowl full of spaghetti for him, Papyrus looks at you like you are the second coming of Jesus. He digs in immediately, exclaiming through mouthfuls that you are clearly a skilled “spaghettore”. You’re not really sure what that means, but you’re glad that he’s happy.

 

You let him do his thing on his own. You don’t want to be a bother, hovering over him. You make sure to check on him every few hours.  He seems to be having fun. For a while. You peek your head in to ask him what he wants for dinner to find his grin gone. He looks worried.

 

“What’s wrong, Pap? Does something hurt?” Did you make a mistake when you patched him up yesterday? Had you maybe taped a splint on too tight?

 

He glances at you and tries to force a smile, but there’s no fooling you. He wears his heart on his sleeve. “I was just thinking of my brother, is all.”

 

You sit beside him on the bed. No wonder he was so worried about his phone. He must be so concerned. His brother must be too. “You’re worried about him.” It’s not a question. He couldn’t hide it if he tried.

 

Papyrus sighs, shoulders dropping. “Sans is hopeless without me. What will he do if he can’t find me? Who will make him brush his teeth and pick up his socks?” Fat tears start leaking from his eyesockets, rolling down his chin and dropping onto his crop top.

 

“Hey, it’ll be alright.” You find yourself patting his hand to try and reassure him. “Don’t cry, Pap. It’s okay.”

 

“I-I’m not crying!” He hiccups. “Something flew into my eyes!”

 

You don’t bother arguing with him. “Listen, you just stay here, okay? Promise me you won’t try to get up and I’ll go look for your phone.”

 

“You will?” He takes your hand in both of his, still a mess of tears and –ewwww- somehow snot.

 

You get him a tissue, passing it to him so he’ll wipe his face. “Yeah, I’ll go. Start thinking about what you want for dinner. We’ll eat when I get back.”

 

You grab your coat and make your way out into the cold. You’re grateful that there hasn’t been a snowfall yet this year. It’s bound to come. It always does. You shiver and pull your coat tighter around you.  The air is crisp and unforgiving. You hope you can find the phone quickly and just go home.

 

You retrace your steps, eyes fixed on the ground. You should have asked him his number, so you could call the phone as you search. Too late for that now, you suppose. You’re getting closer and closer to the street where this all began and still there’s no sign of his phone. It may have been stolen by now for all you know.

 

The streets have been so empty this evening. It’s such an in-between time. People are either still at work or shut in at home with their families. It’s only because of the still quiet that you can hear the soft “Please please please!”

 

You see him there, crawling on the ground, motions frenzied. He’s dressed in a pair of shorts and a heavy winter jacket, a pair of slippers on his feet. He turns just right and you see his hands, scrabbling desperately at the ground. They lack skin, they are only bone.  “No no no Papyrus, please! You can’t be- you can’t have-“ A ragged sob rings through the air.

 

Your heart is broken, you stride forward quickly. His head swings around to look at you. His eyes are different from Pap’s, a pinprick of light shining from each one. Tears leak from them, much like they had from Papyrus’ not long before. He’s grinning, but it’s not a happy expression. There is agony in that smile. “Sans? Are you Sans?” It leaves you in a rush.

 

“Who are you?” His fingers clutch at the ground.

 

You stride closer, reaching out to him on instinct. He flinches back, ever so slightly. “Papyrus sent me to find his phone. He said you wouldn’t brush your teeth if he didn’t yell at you.”

 

He lets out a laugh that sounds like a yelp. “You’ve seen my brother?”

 

“Yes. He’s alright,” you promise, offering him a hand to help him up. He takes it and as he stands you see what must be Papyrus’ phone clutched in the other. “I can take you to him. He’s not in any condition to move around.”

 

His grip on your hand goes tight and you can hear a crack and pop as your bones shift. “What the fuck did you do to my brother?”

 

“You’re hurting me!” You try and yank your hand away but it’s to no avail. “Let go!”

 

His grin is wicked now, striking fear in you. “If there’s so much as a scratch on his body, you’re gonna have a bad time.”

 

You think you see a flash of blue from his eyes but it’s gone before you can be sure.  His grip doesn’t waver. “If I had hurt him,” your voice is practically a whisper, trying to force him to be calm and listen. “Why would he have trusted me enough to tell me about you? And why would I have approached you?”

 

He wavers finally, grip loosening.  “Where is he? Where’s Papyrus?”

 

“Probably still playing Soul Calibur. And hopefully deciding what he wants for dinner.” You tell him.

 

“Spaghetti.” He murmurs.

 

You shake your head. “Nah, I made him that for lunch. He said I was a  spaghettore, whatever that means.”

 

He finally lets you go. He doesn’t speak, but follows quietly behind you as you turn towards home. You’re not sure what to say. You hadn’t expected you could possibly feel frightened of anyone related to Papyrus, but Sans has just proven you wrong. You’re hands are shaking and you have to make yourself remember to breathe.

 

The walk home seems as long as the night before, even though it’s not a physical burden you carry. He’s right to be angry with you. If you had acted faster, Papyrus would never have been hurt. You unlock the front door and motion inwards.

 

“Did you find it?” Pap calls immediately from the bedroom.

 

You peek your head into the bedroom. He looks antsy, fingers drumming on the bed. “Actually no,” his expression falters immediately. “did ya one better.” You step aside so Sans can enter.

 

At the sight of the smaller skeleton, Papyrus tries to move around. You only have time to make a noise of distress before he’s wincing and whining and falling back on the pillows. “Owwww.”

 

“Oh Pap,” You’re beside him on the bed, trying your best to shift and soothe him into the right positions. “Sweetheart you know you can’t do that you have to let the bones set.”

 

“Sans,” he whines. The smaller skeleton comes to his other side. He’s still grinning, but again his eyes manage to betray distress.

 

It warms you to see he cares about Papyrus. The precious dear deserves it. “Hey bro,” Sans says softly, clearly trying his best to be calm. “What happened to you?”

 

Papyrus looks to you as though for help, but this is your time to leave. He and his brother need to talk this through. You stroke his skull. “Alright sweetie. I’m going to make dinner.” You excuse yourself to the kitchen.

 

Grilled cheeses sound easy to whip up for the three you. You heat up the stove and set to work. You can hear Papyrus’ voice, loud and distinct, but you can’t make out the words. Sans is speaking back, but it’s so much softer, almost like he’s a world away. The low hum of his voice mixed with the stronger buzz of Pap’s is relaxing. You’ve been living alone for so long, you’d forgotten how nice the sound of a conversation in another room can be. You lose yourself in a place between thought and mindlessness.

 

Food smells good. You hadn’t realized how hungry you were until you smelled the butter sizzling in the pan. Now your stomach feels as though it’s twisting and rolling in protest of your negligence. Just a little longer, you think. Just a little longer and you’ll be able to eat. It’ll be the first time you’ll really be sharing a meal with anyone in a long while. You can’t help feeling excited.

 

Sans is lounging on the bed beside Papyrus, flipping through Netflix and turning to see Pap’s opinion before switching to a new option. You sit at the foot of the bed, passing them each a plate. “Hope you like grilled cheeses.”

 

Papyrus looks at the two sandwiches on his plate, then at Sans. The shorter skeleton smiles and takes the plate from him, carefully pulling the crust from the sandwiches. When he’s done, he passes back the plate. “ _Bone_ appetit.”

 

Papyrus groans. “If you’re going to do that then maybe you should just leave.”

 

Sans’ smile grows to a shit eating grin. “Aww c’mon Papyrus, you know you get _bonely_ without me.”

 

“I hate this!” Papyrus declares before biting into the grilled cheese. He chews in sullen silence, shaking his head.

 

“I dunno,” You can’t help yourself, grin splitting your face. “I thought it was pretty _humerus_.”

 

“Noooooooooooooooo!” Pap whines, clutching his skull. “Don’t encourage him!”

 

Sans turns his smile on you. You wonder how he could have been so scary earlier. He seems so harmless now. “His complaints are like writing with a broken pencil. They’re _pointless_.”

 

You snort and shake your head. “Oh my god.”

 

“I’m not talking to either of you from now on.” Papyrus declares.

 

“Whatever you say, dear.” You singsong, starting in on your food. Grilled cheeses were definitely a good choice. Pap is definitely putting his away. You wonder where it goes. It’s not like they have stomachs.  You glance back at Sans. He hasn’t touched his. “Do you not like grilled cheese? I can make you something else.”

 

“Nah.” He waves his hand. “You got any ketchup?”

 

“Umm…yeah.” You head to the kitchen and grab the bottle from the fridge. Ketchup? On a grilled cheese? Okay.

 

He practically drowns the sandwiches in it. You have to look away before you get too grossed out. At least he’s happy, you suppose.

 

You clean up once everyone is done eating and make your way back to the bedroom. The two brothers look exhausted. Sans rubs his eyes and moves to hop off the bed. “I should probably head home.”

 

Papyrus’s mouth twists into a frown. You can’t have that. “You could always just stay here. I’m sure Pap would feel better having you around. I have work tomorrow, so this way he wouldn’t have to spend the day alone.”

 

Smile pasted on his face, Sans settles back in. “Thanks.”

 

“You got it, sweetheart. You boys sleep well.” You click the light off on the way out and Papyrus turns down the tv until it’s nothing more than dull background noise. Sans is already asleep as you walk out the door. You settle in on the couch and think about them both. What a strange, strange turn of events.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s pouring on your way home from work. It’s so cold and you can’t help wishing you were sitting home tucked in a blanket. It’s been such a long day. All you want is to curl up and take a nap.

 

You let yourself in and kick off your shoes. You peek in on Papyrus and find him resting. Alone. You wonder where Sans went and if he’ll be back. Turning back toward the living room, you think you see something out of the corner of your eyes. You make your way toward the kitchen to see if maybe it was the small skeleton, but no one is there. Must have been a trick of the light. You turn back towards the couch and have to stifle a scream. He’s right behind you, smirking.

 

You press a hand to your chest and gasp in breaths. “Jesus Christ!”

 

“Everything alright there, buddy?” He grins and rocks back and forth on his heels.

 

“Oh yes it’s fine,” you grumble. “I love going into cardiac arrest.”

 

He laughs quietly and shoves his hands in his pockets. “Listen, I was hoping we could have a chat while my brother’s asleep.”

 

You sincerely hope this chat will not be like the one where he almost broke your hand and nearly made you piss your pants because that is not one of the highlights of your life. You nod and motion to the couch, taking a seat beside him. “What’s up, hon?”

 

He pauses, mouth open about to speak, and seems to switch gears. “Why do you do that?”

 

“Do what?” You ask, confused.

 

He slumps in his seat. “You keep calling Papyrus Sweetie and Sweetheart and Pap. Now you’re calling me hon?”

 

You shrug your shoulders. “They’re just pet names.  Pap _is_ sweet, and he seems to like it when I tell him so. It seemed to help calm him down before. I guess it kind of became a habit.”

 

“What happened to my brother?” Sans asks after a pause. His hands are still shoved in the pockets of his coat and his foot taps anxiously on the floor. That smile on his face is tense again. “He kept skirting around the issue and only gave me vague answers.”

 

You tuck some hair behind your ear and rub your knees nervously. “Oh. Um well,” you sigh heavily. “I’m not really sure what started it. I didn’t see the whole thing. But on the street where I ran into you he was surrounded by a bunch of drunk kids. They kept hassling him and he was being real sweet, kept trying to diffuse the situation. They just started wailing on him. He didn’t even try to fight back.”

 

“What and you just watched?” Sans’ voice is dangerous. You jump a bit at the sharpness of his tone, your hands still rubbing over your knees. You look down at the floor. “Well?”

 

“I should have acted faster.” You say quietly. “I was scared and I wasn’t sure what to do. In the end, I ran over and claimed a group of monsters was coming and told them to run away. Pap was already pretty hurt by then. I should have done something sooner.”

 

“So you brought him home out of guilt?” Sans snaps.

 

That isn’t fair. You know he’s upset. You know he’s worried sick. But you’ve been nothing but kind to him and Papyrus. You sacrificed a day’s pay to take care of him. “I brought him home,” your voice is tense. You’re trying to stay quiet, to stay civil. “because he needed help. He was scared and hurt and he didn’t deserve to be left alone like that. You can think me a coward all you like. I can’t blame you for that. But don’t treat me poorly for helping a friend. That’s just unfair.”

 

That seems to change something in him. He hesitates. “You…consider him a friend?”

 

“Of course I do.” I reply, shaking your head at him. “Why wouldn’t I? He’s sweet as sugar and pure as snow. I don’t understand how anyone in the world could want to hurt him. Why are you so determined to think I’m out to get him?”

 

Sans’ gaze drops to his feet, watching as he kicks his leg up and the slipper on his foot comes a bit loose. His smile never wavers, but his eyes betray his sadness. “Dunno if you’ve noticed, but humans haven’t exactly been so kind since we came to the surface. Papyrus doesn’t seem to get that. People like to take advantage of him.”

 

It all makes sense to you. You place a hand on his shoulder, unable to suppress a small smile. “You’re a really good brother. He’s lucky to have you, darlin’. I promise you on my life, I don’t want to hurt Papyrus at all. He and I are friends. You and I could be too.”

 

His shoulders drop and he sighs, smile turning wry. “I’ve been a real bonehead, haven’t I?”

 

You snort. “At least you’re finally getting it through your skull.”

 

He laughs and shakes his head. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

 

Ah, fuck it. You wrap him in a hug. “As far as I’m concerned, it never happened. You and me are good.”

 

He seems surprised by the contact and you almost pull away. You need to be better about this. You need to read situations better. You loosen your grip on him just as his arms wrap around and his hands press to your back. You can feel the ridges of each little bone. You find you don’t mind it.

 

You yawn, doing your best to smother it behind your hand. “Sorry. Sorry. Rain always wears me out.”

 

He chuckles. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

 

You fight down another yawn. “I think I’m gonna try and grab a nap before dinner.”

 

“Oh,” his smile twitches, lights in his eyes fading ever so slightly. “yeah. Okay. I’ll let you do that.”

 

Papyrus is still snoring softly. Ah, Sans must be lonely. “There’s plenty of room on the couch you know. You could catch some z’s with me?”

 

He hesitates a moment and you offer him a small smile hoping to put him at ease. “Yeah, okay.” Your smile grows to a grin as you grab for the blankets on the arm of the couch.

 

You spread them out and grab for his hand, turning on the side and pressing yourself as tight as you can to the back of the couch so that he can lie in front of you. He eases himself down and you snuggle into him. “Is this alright?” You ask him quietly.

 

“Sure.” He’s quiet, settling in. It’s nice, having someone to hold. You had thought it might be uncomfortable, what with him being all bone, but it’s really not that strange at all. He’s asleep before you, in a matter of minutes. You smile a bit and focus in on the sound of raindrops tapping on the roof and windows. You’re comfortable and warm as it lulls you to sleep.

* * *

 

They’ve been here for a couple weeks now, Papyrus tucked safely in your bed and Sans meandering through the house at his leisure. In a blur your life has become a string of horrible puns, loud commentary on tv shows, and constant requests for your “world famous spaghetti”. Despite it being such a big change, you find yourself rather comfortable with having them as roommates. They’re fun and kind and you have to admit you’re so much less lonely now.

 

You check in on the taller skeleton. He’s playing games again.  He smiles to acknowledge you, but keeps his focus on the tv. He’s still wearing that fucking crop top and you can’t help cringing each time you see it.  You’ve offered to let him borrow some other clothes, and when he refused that you even offered to buy him new ones. He’s adamant that his “cool dude” crop top is the only outfit suitable for a sleepover like yours. You try to explain that he lives here, more or less. He brushes you off with a wave of is hand.

 

You really hate that fucking crop top.

 

You leave Pap to his game and head for the kitchen. You get yourself a glass of water and head out to the living room, turning on the tv. Sans had brought the one from their apartment to go in the living room, since Pap had practically taken over yours. You appreciate it. You’re about half an hour in to a godawful horror movie when Sans comes in the front door.

 

“Hey, babe. How you doing?” You flash him a grin.

 

To say Sans had grown on you would be an understatement. You like being around him. He’s comfortable to be with. You never feel like you have to be entertaining or that you have to pander to his whims. You can be yourself with him. He seems to like you just fine for it.

 

He hesitates, craning his neck to see into the bedroom. He sits next to you and flashes you a nervous smile. His phalanges tangle into the hem of his shorts. “Papyrus still isn’t better.”

 

“Broken bones take time to heal.” You reason calmly. “He’s not in pain. That’s a very good thing.”

 

“This long?” Sans demands. “He should be better by now.”

 

You place your hand on his knee, rubbing your thumb lightly on his patella to soothe him. “It usually takes a month or two. His ribs might take a bit longer. You have to give the bones a chance to piece themselves back together. He’s gonna be alright, sweetie, I promise.”

 

Sans shivers, looks down at your hand on his knee. “You sound so sure of that.”

 

“I am,” you declare, hoping to instill some confidence in him. Another stroke of your thumb and he jumps a bit. You stop. “Sorry. Does this bother you?”

 

“No.” He shakes his head, closes his eyes. He’s still so tense. He’s really worried. The smile on his face twitches.

 

“It’s okay, if you wanna cry.” You tell him softly.

 

He turns to you, smile still in place. “Does this look like someone who needs to cry to you? Come on, I’m not that brittle. I drink my milk.”

 

You hate how he does that, uses humor to hide what he’s really feeling. “No one can smile all the time, dude.” You cup cheek with one hand, stroke his skull with the other. “I can see wanting to keep it together in front of him, but you don’t have to play tough to me. I won’t think any less of you.”

 

His smile falters, if only for a moment. “H-hey, did you hear about the preschool that had to call the police?” He asks, waiting for your response. You stare him down, calm and steady. “A three-year old was resisting a rest.”

 

Silence hangs in the room. You both know he isn’t fooling you. He opens his mouth as though to tell another joke, and then he just breaks. His mouth twists into a grimace, then a frown. Huge tears well in the bottom of his eyesockets, threatening to tip over at any moment. You pull him close, press him to your chest. He trembles against you. You rub over his spine, hoping to soothe him as he quietly cries. You don’t say anything, just letting him vent out all the stress and worry and fear he’s kept locked inside. You cradle him in your arms, wishing there was something more you can do for him.

 

He falls asleep like that, pressed against you. You shift him to lay more comfortably in your arms. You can feel your heart in your throat. You’ve never felt like this before. You would give anything to take away his pain. Anything at all.

 

* * *

 

 

A month has passed, come and gone. The first snow of the year has already blanketed the streets. It sparkles like diamonds where it hasn’t been touched, untainted by dirt and debris. It’s beautiful. Horribly cold, but beautiful.

 

You do your best to keep pace with Sans, making the slow trip home from the store. He likes to take his time, admiring misshapen snow men and half-melted forts. Papyrus had told you that where they used to live underground was always snowy. You wonder if, even just a little, they miss it?

 

Sans is back to his usual self. He is always cracking jokes and always, always smiling. But every once in a while, when Papyrus is busy or asleep, he’ll come sit out with you and lay his head in your lap. He’s always silent then, just soaking up your company. You dote on him, stroking at his skull, his hands, his spine. He shudders and sighs and relaxes with you. You can’t help feeling special then, knowing that you can do this to him. That you can help him, if only a little.

 

You unlock the door to the house, stepping in and wiping your boots off on the mat before taking them off. You head for the kitchen, ready to clean out the fridge and make room for your new purchases when a soft thud makes you jump. You freeze where you stand, mouth gaping open. Papyrus is dancing around the kitchen to what sounds like a singing robot?  Sans stills beside you, grin plastered on his face. His eye and his smile both seem to be twitching. You stumble over words in your shock. “Pap- Swe- Papyrus?!”

 

He turns so fast he slips on the tiled floor, catching himself on the counter beside the stove. His cheeks are red, his eyes wide. “Uh, um,” He sputters, clearly in a panic. “Human! Brother! It’s a miracle?”

 

“A miracle?” Sans’ whole body seems to twitch once before he reigns himself in.

 

Papyrus jolts back up, striking a pose. “Yes! A miracle! Imagine my surprise as I awoke from my nap, a light tingle running through my bones. ‘Why, Papyrus,’ I thought. ‘What a strange feeling! Whatever could it mean?’ And then an angel descended from the heavens themselves-“

 

“An angel?” You arch a brow, arms crossing over your chest.

 

He carries on, picking up speed. “Yes! An angel! She was beautiful and radiant and she told me ‘Oh Papyrus, you are so handsome! I wish I could bring you up to heaven with me! But your brother needs you, so instead I will ease your suffering!’ And then she healed my bones and that is why...that is why…” He trails off as he catches sight of Sans who is clearly about to lose it.

 

“Papyrus,” the shorter skeleton growls.

 

The tall skeleton bursts into tears. “Oh Sans, I cannot lie to you! It has all been a ruse! A jape! I, the Great Papyrus, have been faking my injuries for my own selfish whims!”

 

“B-but…” You shake your head in disbelief. “Your bones were definitely broken! I wrapped them myself!”

 

He presses his hands to his cheek bones, sinking to the floor. Tears plop out from his eyesockets in big wet clumps. “They healed by the third day.” He confesses. “My magic fixed them.”

 

“Papyrus,” Sans is furious. Not violently so, as he had been the first night you met him, but enough to fill you with concern. You hope they won’t fight. They’re so close. They love each other so much. You’d hate to see things get ugly between them. “why would you lie to us? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? Do you have any idea what you’ve put me through?”

 

You place a hand on Sans’ shoulder, trying to calm him down. Papyrus seems beside himself. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, brother!” He insists. “But you and the human get along so well and I thought, if I cannot love them perhaps you could! And I knew if I was better we would go home and it would all be over!”

 

You choke on air, sputtering out a cough. “You were trying to set us up?”

 

Pap wipes at his tears, sniffling. “You both seemed so happy. You smiled and laughed all the time. I thought you should be happy like that forever. I thought, if I was healed, we would have to go away and it would all end.”

 

Sans looks stunned. For the second time since you’ve met him, the grin is off his face. Instead his jaw hangs parted, the specks of light in his eyes moons instead of faintly burning stars. Your heart thuds in your chest. So that’s how it is, huh?

 

“Oh Pap,” you sigh. You walk to his spot on the floor and he hides his face in his hands as though he’s afraid to look at you. You ease down beside him, leaning against his shoulder. “You’re too pure, Pap. You’re too good for this world.”

 

He peeks through his fingers. “Aren’t you angry with me?” He whispers.

 

You look over at Sans. It seems like his brain has shut down. He’s still as a statue, face still shocked. You shake your head and let out a chuckle. “How could I ever be mad at you? How could anyone?”

 

“Sans is definitely mad at me.” Papyrus whimpers.

 

“Sans isn’t angry. He was scared. Can you imagine how you would feel if he was hurt and you felt helpless to do anything about it?” You stroke his skull gently and he trembles.

 

“But I do!” He’s near breathless, more fat tears leaking past his phalanges. “Every day until we met you! Sans is always hurting and always hiding and I don’t know how to save him, so I thought you could instead!”

 

There’s a light rattling and you look up from Papyrus. Sans is shaking, tears oozing from his eyesockets and rolling down his cheeks. He wheezes with sobs. “P-Pap!”

 

Hearing Sans’ ragged sob, Papyrus uncovers his face. His arms tremble as he holds them open. Sans steps to him on shaky legs, collapsing to the floor and clutching to that damned crop top as Papyrus pulls him close. “I just want you to be happy again, Sans. You deserve to be happy.”

 

You can’t help crying yourself as you watch them sob in each other’s arms. You don’t know what to do with yourself. You feel as though you’re peeking into a world you shouldn’t know exists. You think about leaving, but you’re afraid the movement will disturb them. They need this, that much is obvious. They need this chance to get it all out.

 

Papyrus reaches out his arm and yanks you by the front of your shirt. You land pressed against his and Sans’ sides and his arm curls around you. One of Sans’ hands clutches your shirt hem like a lifeline. Your heart swells and pounds so hard in your chest you think it might burst. You feel for them so deeply in so many different ways. How had you lived before them? How will you live when they’re gone? You lose yourself to the moment, wrapping a hand around one of Pap’s ribs and placing kisses to the top of Sans’ skull. You say a silent prayer to whoever may be listening that just this once things will go your way. That maybe, this one time, you can drown in happiness and love.

 

“I don’t want you to go.” You whisper. The words seem to linger there in the air between sniffles and sobs. “I’ve never had as much fun as I do with you. I want to come home every day and eat dinner together. I want to listen to your awful puns and laugh until I puke. I don’t want to let this go.”

 

“Please don’t puke, Human. Please don’t puke.” Papyrus whines and you can’t help laughing. Sans coughs out a laugh as well and you’re so glad to hear it.

 

“Papyrus doesn’t have the stomach for it.” His voice is still a bit shaky but the humor is genuine. You pull him closer to you and laugh until you ache. Even Papyrus gives in, practically crushing your spine as he pulls you against his ribs and laughs.

 

You stay like this a while, holding one another and just being together. Papyrus is the one to break the spell, disentangling himself to stand. “Don’t mind me,” He says softly. “I just have to go to the bathroom.”

 

He darts over to the window and Sans let’s out a shout. “Don’t you break that window, Papyrus! If you’re going to run out at least use the door!”

 

Pap’s shoulders drop and he sighs. “Undyne lets me break _her_ windows.” He grumbles and just like that he’s gone, sulking his way out the door.

 

“Shouldn’t we-“ Sans pulls himself closer to you and the words die in your throat. You wrap your arms tight around him, resting your head atop his skull. He presses his face to your neck, once, twice, unending. He’s kissing you, you realize, soft and sweet and tender. You cup his jaw in your hands and pull him away from your skin. The dark holes that serve as his eyes shine bright, piercing you. You feel as though you can’t breathe. Your thumbs stroke his cheeks and you lean in to press your lips to his teeth. For the first time you can remember you’re absolutely certain that everything will be fine.


End file.
